This century will see a substantial majority of the world’s population living in urban centers. The Habitat III Conference therefore has, as its mission, the adoption of a New Urban Agenda—an action-oriented document which will set global standards of achievement in sustainable urban development, rethinking the way we build, manage, and live in cities through drawing together cooperation with committed partners, relevant stakeholders, and urban actors at all levels of government as well as the private sector.

The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) held from 17 to 20 October 2016 in Quito, Ecuador, successfully concluded with the adoption of the New Urban Agenda.

The Habitat III Conference as a whole was a resounding success: 30,000 people, among them 10,000 international participants from 167 countries were accredited in the Conference. In the span of four days almost 1,000 events took place, including 8 Plenary sessions, 6 High-level Roundtable sessions, 4 Assemblies, 16 Stakeholders Roundtables, 10 Policy Dialogues, 22 Special Sessions, 3 Urban Talks, an Urban Journalism Academy, 59 United Nations events, 157 Exhibition booths, 42 Village projects and over 460 side, networking, training and parallel events were organized by various stakeholders.

Habitat III thanks everyone who participated in the conference and its process. Our work here is far from over, and we look forward to our continued collaboration in following up on the New Urban Agenda, the commitments made for its implementation, and the legacy of Habitat III.

View the Adopted Draft of the New Urban Agenda:

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Berikoy Team Attended ATC Conference

Tracy Lavin, Special to The Turkish Times-Beriköy Team members attended the American Turkish Conference in Washington, D.C. to host a workshop on sustainability with guest panelists: MIT Professor Jan Wampler; Director of Habitat for Humanity International, Tom Jones, and Owner of First Renaissance Ventures, Martin Erim. The conference coverage was hugely successful and prosperous and a thank you is owed to ATC's generous booth and workshop contribution. Additionally, Naci Saribas, Minister Counselor, Turkish Deputy Chief of Mission, is held in high esteem for his professionalism, but also his heart for Beriköy and we are gracious for his support.

You may have recently read or heard about "Beriköy: Communities Building Communities" sustainability project in Turkey. Beriköy addresses long-term sustainability in Economic, Social and Ecologic avenues and is a partnered in part by Habitat for Humanity International and CEKUL Vakfi. Beriköy was developed through Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor Jan Wampler and students yearlong architectural workshop, which started shortly after the earthquakes in August of 1999.

Beriköy went on the road immediately following ATC with Mr. Martin Erim and Ms. Muzeyyen Akdeniz of First Renaissance Ventures, as they organized and developed Beriköy's participation in the Department of Commerce "Trade Opportunities in Turkey" conference. Beriköy was honored by a warm introduction from Mr. John Breidenstein, the Foreign Commercials Director at the US Embassy in Ankara.

Beriköy continues with its fundraising efforts and successes. Recently the Federation of Turkish American Associations became a project sponsor by donating a home for one Beriköy family. FTAA recognizes the vision of Beriköy and serves as a leading example for organizations and individuals to also sign onto Beriköy.

Dream village rising in wake of quake

The dream of a safe new Turkish community, hatched in the wake of an earthquake that killed at least 15,000 and destroyed dozens of towns and villages, is becoming a reality for 50 displaced families this summer. 

Thanks to the skill and tenacity of MIT Professor Jan Wampler of architecture and two MIT graduates who live in Turkey, ground was broken last month for an innovative housing project near the city of Adapazari that will provide homes for the 50 families. Their homes were destroyed by the 1999 quake that measured 7.4 on the Richter scale. They have been living in tents and prefabricated housing for almost four years. 

Wampler and his former students, Rukiye Devres Unver and Barbara Brady, and students from his international workshop course toured the area after the quake, surveying the damage and talking with victims. As a result of those discussions, they compiled a list of residents' desires for their rebuilt community. 

Hideki Maruyama